The New York Islanders made two significant moves at the NHL trade deadline. They traded for Brayden Schenn from the St Louis Blues and re-signed JG Pageau to a three-year deal. The Islanders are pushing for the playoffs, but it does leave captain Anders Lee unsigned heading toward free agency. He spoke with DJ Siddiqi of RG.org about the immediate future of the team and his future on Long Island.
“It's been an incredible run,” Lee told Siddiqi. “I'm so grateful to have been an Islander this long. I've loved it. The team means a lot to me, the organization, our fans, and right now our focus is these final 19-20 games to put ourselves in a great position, and the rest of it will take care of itself.”
Lee is one of the lone players on the Islanders without a contract for the 2026-27 season. Given the lack of free agents available on July 1, he could sign a big-money deal with a contending team, despite his age. But the 35-year-old was drafted by the Islanders and has been the captain since 2018. Will he stay in New York on a significant discount just to finish out his career where it started?
Lee came flying out of the Olympic break after a sluggish start to the season. He scored goals in four consecutive games after the break, bringing his season total to 15. But as the Islanders cooled off on a West Coast road trip, Lee slowed down as well. He has now gone three consecutive games without a point.
The Islanders are back in action on Friday against the Los Angeles Kings. But they are holding down the final spot in the Metropolitan Division playoffs, so they are scoreboard watching. The Pittsburgh Penguins are right ahead of them, while the Columbus Blue Jackets nip at their heels.
